Tucker Automobile Club of America returns to its roots

LINDENHURST, Ill. _ The Tucker Automobile Club of America will hold its 41st Annual Convention in Ypsilanti, Mich. Sept. 16-18.

This year’s annual convention will return to the site of the former Tucker family home and barn in Ypsilanti. The event will showcase several restored Tucker ’48 sedans in celebration of the Preston Tucker and the automobile he created. Some of the cars on display bear sequential serial numbers and will be together for the first time since they left the factory in 1948. In addition to the restored Tucker sedans, the club plans to unveil a recent Tucker barn find that hasn’t seen the light of day in more than 30 years.

Lifted to legendary status thanks in part to the 1988 LucasFilm, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, the Tucker ’48 was touted as the ‘Car of Tomorrow’ with a rear engine, a center-mounted headlight that turned with the wheels, and several novel safety features. While the cars were built in Chicago, much of the dreaming, designing and development was done at the Tucker home on Park Street in Ypsilanti. Just 51 cars were built before the Tucker Corporation was forced to shutdown due to a fraud investigation brought on by the SEC. Tucker was eventually acquitted of all charges, but the car and the company were no more. More popular and exclusive than ever, Tucker cars nowadays can fetch upwards of $3 million

“We’re very excited to be able to return to Ypsi for 2016,” said John Tucker Jr., TACA president, convention host and grandson of Preston Tucker. “We’ve got some very seldom-seen cars in attendance and some other surprises you won’t want to miss.”

In addition to the various local events that are planned for club members, the cars will be on display to the public at the Ypsilanti Orphan Car Show at Riverside Park on Sunday, Sept. 18.

For more information on TACA or the 2016 Convention, visit TuckerClub.org